Companiion
★★★★
Companion is a delightful little genre mashup—sci-fi, thriller and dark comedy—that totally caught me off guard in the best way. It’s set in a near-future world where AI is mistrusted (sound familiar?), yet the film brilliantly flips the script and makes you root for the AI. Why? Because it turns out the robot is more human and empathetic than most of the actual humans around it.
The plot twists into a heist movie at one point—which somehow works—and while it could’ve veered into preachy territory, the film never forgets that its first job is to entertain. It’s director Drew Hancock's first feature, but you’d never guess. It’s confident, stylish and full of clever swerves that keep you locked in.
Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher lead the cast with a unique chemistry that’s unexpected for this kind of film. Quaid is perfectly cast as a charming jerk you wouldn’t trust to water your plants, and Turner is magnetic—this was my first time seeing her in a major role, and I totally get the hype now. Also, shout-out to Harvey Guillén from What We Do in the Shadows—he’s unhinged in the best way.
Yes, the third act might get a little twisty to the point of introducing some plot holes, but by then I was too entertained to care. It’s streaming on Max, and I’ve already been telling people to check it out. I just wish it had gotten more attention in theaters—it’s that kind of movie you want to talk about afterward.
